Wash and dry the eggplants and cut slits at the base to make a cross.
Fry the eggplants in the cooking oil till the skin softens slightly and then set them aside. (see notes)
Soak the tamarind in hot water and set it aside.
Dry roast the peanuts, place them on a clean dish towel and rub between the folds to remove as much of the skin as you can and then grind them to a powder. (see notes)
Dry roast and grind the remaining ingredients on the list, one at a time, till they are lightly toasted, mix them with the ground peanuts and set the mixture aside.
Dice the onions and brown them till they are a medium brown.
Once the onions are brown, add and saute the garlic and ginger paste for about 30 seconds.
Then add 1 cup of water, reduce the heat cover and cook for 10 minutes so the onions can soften more.
After the 10 minutes, uncover, add in the salt, red chili powder and turmeric, along with the roasted and ground ingredients.
Add 2 cups of water, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Uncover, add in the tamarind water and curry leaves. Add more water and adjust the spices, if necessary, cover and cook another 10 minutes (see notes)
Next, layer the eggplants on top of the curry and cook on low heat for 10 minutes to allow the eggplants to fully cook.